Art as Social Action

"Art as Social Action" is both a general introduction to and an illustrated, practical textbook for the field of social practice, an art medium that has been gaining popularity in the public sphere. With content arranged thematically around such topics as direct action, alternative organizing, urban imaginaries, anti-bias work, and collective learning, among others, "Art as Social Action" is a comprehensive manual for teachers about how to teach art as social practice. It features a series of introductions by leading social practice artists in the field, valuable lesson plans offer examples of pedagogical projects for instructors at both college and high school levels with contributions written by prominent social practice artists, teachers, and thinkers.

Gregory Sale, associate professor of intermedia and public practice with members of the Los Angeles-based Anti-Recidivism Coalition — Aaron Mercado, Dominique Bell, Dr. Luis García, José González, Ryan Lo, and Kirn Kim — wrote a chapter on a workshop they co-led for returning citizens called "Future IDs: Reframing the Narrative of Re-Entry Art Workshop." The workshop combined future planning, artmaking, and writing exercises. It was an essential component in a developing collaborative art project about individual stories of transformation and how, collectively, those stories can help reframe the narrative of re-entry.